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Private Medicare Caveats

By

Laurie McGinley

Updated Sept. 9, 2007 12:01 a.m. ET

Medicare officials, after getting complaints about marketing abuses by some private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans, have imposed several new requirements. But some consumer advocates are calling for even tougher rules, and urging seniors to look carefully before signing up for any private Medicare plan.

Medicare's annual open-enrollment period for health and prescription-drug plans begins Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 31. During the period, seniors can switch from one plan to another, or opt to stay in traditional Medicare....